Griffin Legal, P.C.

Attorney Michael Griffin founded and operates Griffin Legal, P.C. 

Michael has tried and won numerous jury and bench trials for landlords, property management companies, trusts, receivers, investment firms, banks, and other entities seeking to recover possession of property.  He also successfully defends landlords against lawsuits filed by tenants, including lawsuits under the Chicago Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance (“RLTO”), class action lawsuits, and lawsuits alleging violations of local, state, and federal laws.  He has successfully orally argued, briefed, and won cases before the Illinois Supreme Court and Illinois Appellate Court.  

Michael’s practice is devoted entirely to representing residential and commercial landlords in all aspects of their business, including entity formation and advising, litigation defense, and recovering possession of property. Michael handles matters from inception through appeal and is regularly recognized by judges and other attorneys as a formidable attorney. 

Representative Successes:

Scribe Holdings, LLC v. Sharritt, 2023 IL App (3d) 220211-U (Obtained ruling on appeal affirming eviction order in  installment vendor's favor against real estate vendee in possession).

Windsor Property Management v. Penney, 2023 IL App (1st) 221274-U (Obtained involuntary dismissal of tenant’s post-eviction appeal; trial court judgment in landlord's favor affirmed).

Howard Hill v. Pinnacle on the Park, 2023 IL App (2nd) 220427-U (Obtained defense ruling on appeal affirming judgment in California landlord's favor holding that California landlord could not be sued in Illinois state court on jurisdictional grounds).

U.S. Bank v. Unknown Occupants, 2023 IL App (1st) 220006-U (Obtained ruling on appeal affirming eviction order in bank's favor against squatters withholding property).

Ma v. Mercy Housing, 1-23-0195 (Obtained involuntary dismissal of tenant’s appeal of interlocutory order denying appointment of a special prosecutor in Illinois Human Rights Act/Fair Housing Act lawsuit against landlord based on allegations of tenant-on-tenant harassment).

L.D.S., L.L.C. v. Fitness Blueprint, 2023 IL App (1st) 200275-U (Obtained eviction order and money judgment in excess of $100,000 against commercial tenant involving COVID-related nonoperation defenses on appeal).

Holzrichter v. Habitat, 2022 IL App (1st) 211458-U (Obtained involuntary dismissal of tenant’s RLTO lawsuit against landlord and involuntary dismissal of tenant’s subsequent appeal).

Georgakopoulos v. Blake, 2022 IL App (1st) 210668-U (Obtained ruling on appeal affirming trial court’s judgment after bench trial in case involving tenant’s threat-based violations of lease).

Chemers v. Gansberg, 2021 IL App (1st) 192157-U (Obtained dismissal of tenant’s appeal seeking to impose RLTO liability on landlord of non-Chicago property; landlord recovered possession of property).

Joiner v. SVM Management, LLC, 2020 IL 124671 (Obtained involuntary dismissal of class action lawsuit against landlord; briefed and orally argued issue of first impression before the Illinois Supreme Court).

Hart v. MAC Property, 2020 IL App (1st) 200839-U (Obtained involuntary dismissal of tenant’s appeal in lawsuit against landlord; judgment in landlord’s favor affirmed).

FirstKey v. Henry, 2-20-0179 (Obtained ruling on appeal affirming trial court’s entry of eviction order and money judgment against subsidized residential tenant).

Skyline Properties v. River Street Holdings, 1-19-1580 (Obtained involuntary dismissal of commercial tenant’s appeal, leaving in place eviction order and money judgment entered after trial).

Waterton v. Chest, 2019 IL App (1st) 182662-U (Obtained ruling on appeal affirming trial court judgment after bench trial in landlord’s favor against subsidized tenant who threatened other residents with violence).

White v. Kocmond, 2018 IL App (1st) 170878-U (Obtained reversal of trial court’s judgment entered against landlord after bench trial in case involving the RLTO and issues of first impression in Illinois).

Habitat v. Peeples, 2018 IL App (1st) 171420.  (Briefed and orally argued case of first impression; Obtained ruling on appeal affirming trial court ruling in landlord’s favor denying motion to seal eviction court file).

Balvinder Singh v. Syed H. Quadri d/b/a Auto Tecx, Inc., 2017 M1 709151 (Obtained judgment after trial in multi-case litigation between commercial lessor and lessee.  Affirmed on appeal: Singh v. Quadri, 2018 IL App (1st) 172719-U).

Sedelle Jean Sauer Trust v. Debra Sauer, 2016 M1 718072 (Obtained jury verdict in Trust’s favor to recover possession of investment property.  Defendant’s emergency appeal and motion to stay eviction proceedings filed in the Appellate Court denied and appeal dismissed: Sedelle v. Sauer, 1-17-0616).

Admissions

Illinois

Indiana

United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit

United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, General Bar and Trial Bar

United States District Court for the Northern District of Indiana

United States District Court for the Southern District of Indiana

United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio